UPDATE: With Friday’s final numbers now in, it is being reported that Black Panther could finish up with the sixth best opening of all time, with an estimated $187.6 million over three days and $216 million over the four-day holiday weekend – the latter of which would put it ahead of Avengers: Age of Ultron’s $204.4 million. Original story follows…
Given that it set a new record for superhero movie pre-sales on Fandango, Marvel’s Black Panther was always going to enjoy a solid opening weekend, with tracking estimates rising week on week over the past month to the latest prediction of a $165 million domestic four-day holiday weekend.
Well, if the first day is any indication, Black Panther is going to shatter that estimate, with the film pulling in $25.2 million in Thursday previews in the States (second only to Avengers: Age of Ultron’s $27.6 million for the MCU), and an estimated $72 million on Friday.
2016’s Deadpool currently holds the February opening weekend of $132.4 million over three days and $152.1 million over four days, and it seems like Black Panther will blow that total out of the water. Estimates are now pointing to a $175 million three-day weekend, and $200 million plus four-day haul.
Should it reach those figures, not only will it set a new record for February, but it will also toppled Disney’s Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million three-day and $188.2 million four-day) to give it the record for the biggest pre-summer opening ever.
Internationally, Black Panther has pulled in $47 million to date, and is said to be looking at around $120 million from the international markets by the close of play this weekend.
SEE ALSO: Chadwick Boseman was the only choice for Black Panther according to Marvel’s Kevin Feige
SEE ALSO: Read our Black Panther reviews here and here
After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returnsohome to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
Black Panther sees Ryan Coogler (Creed) directing Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa alongside Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Sterling K. Brown as N’Jobu, John Kani as King T’Chaka and Nabiyah Be as Nightshade.
